


Nightmares

by DemonzDust



Category: Teen Wolf (TV)
Genre: Emotional Hurt/Comfort, Established Relationship, Future Fic, Good Theo Raeken, Hurt Scott McCall (Teen Wolf), M/M, Nightmares, ScottMcCallWeek
Language: English
Status: Completed
Published: 2019-04-07
Updated: 2019-04-07
Packaged: 2020-01-06 08:30:38
Rating: Teen And Up Audiences
Warnings: No Archive Warnings Apply
Chapters: 1
Words: 1,484
Publisher: archiveofourown.org
Story URL: https://archiveofourown.org/works/18384758
Author URL: https://archiveofourown.org/users/DemonzDust/pseuds/DemonzDust
Summary: As Theo’s eyes open to the dimly lit room, he knows that something is wrong. It takes him a moment to realize that the heavy breathing, the slamming heartbeat, it isn’t his own. The strong arms around his waist are clinging to him, nails pricking into his skin as they turn to claws.“Scott?” Theo rolls over to face his boyfriend, nudging him. “Scott, wake up—”





	Nightmares

**Author's Note:**

> A really short thing I found in my drafts from _ages_ ago that I updated quick for Scott Week.

Raspy strained breath shudders in the dark. There’s a rushed and erratic beating against his ribs. 

Theo’s eyes fly open, and the dark looming shapes of motel furniture slowly come into focus. 

There’d been a time when he was used to waking like this, gasping and shivering with nothing to comfort him but the blanket of darkness. 

But that had been before things had started with Scott. 

Things had been different since the first time he’d fallen asleep in Scott’s arms. From that point on, when demons chased him through dark corridors, or when mechanical clicking and winding closed in on him, he’d find strong hands gently nudging him awake. Concerned brown eyes boring into him. A soothing voice assuring him that he was safe.

He didn’t know how to respond the first time it had happened. He’d just blinked at Scott for a long moment, his body rigid before he’d finally softened into the alpha’s touch. The relief in it was so intense he’d nearly started weeping — and he knew Scott wouldn’t judge him if he had. 

Now he knows those hands are waiting for him. The feeling of Scott’s fingers gently carding through his hair — that was once felt so foreign — is now a familiar sensation.  He knows that he can turn his face into Scott’s palm and find comfort. Can surrender his guards in the arms of someone that would never hurt or humiliate him.

He doesn’t deserve it, but he also doesn’t care because it’s the best thing he’s ever had and he couldn’t deny himself it even if he wanted to.

But this time is different. 

As Theo’s eyes open to the dimly lit room, he knows that something is wrong. It takes him a moment to realize that the heavy breathing, the slamming heartbeat, it isn’t his own. The strong arms around his waist are clinging to him, nails pricking into his skin as they turn to claws.

“Scott?” Theo rolls over to face his boyfriend, nudging him. “Scott,  _ wake up _ —”

Scott bolts upright, chest heaving as sweat pours down his neck and he gasps for breath. He pushes Theo aside as he turns away, sitting up and throwing his feet over the side of the bed. He buries his face in his hands, his head bowed, and Theo’s almost certain he’s crying.

Fear ripples through him as he watches Scott’s back tremble. He’s not used to seeing Scott like this. 

No one is.

“Hey...” he reaches cautiously for Scott’s arm.

He’s not sure if Scott will let him comfort him. 

It’s been over a year on the road. Town after town with the pack, trying to stay one step ahead of Monroe. They’d been intimate with one another for the first time only a few months ago, only been  _ officially _ dating for a few weeks now — something that was still mostly a secret from the rest of the pack. 

Although Scott easily  _provides_ comfort and reassurances...receiving them is something different.

Scott doesn’t push his hand away, but he doesn’t turn to face him either.

“I’m fine.” he says into his hands.

“You’re  _ not _ fine.” Theo insists, moving to sit beside him.

“It’s nothing. I don’t need you to worry.”

Theo falls quiet. He doesn’t move away, just waits patiently for Scott’s breathing to slow. He wracks his brain for the right words.

Scott always has the words Theo needs to hear:  _ It’s okay. I’ve got you. You’re safe. You were only a child. You’re better than that now. You matter to me... _

Theo knows those aren’t the same words that Scott needs, but even if they were, Theo doubts he’d be able to say them the way Scott says them. There’s an honesty and confidence in the way that Scott says them that Theo could only attempt to mimic.

But as the silence threatens to stretch into nearly a minute Theo finds the pain of trying to help and coming up emotionally short paling in comparison to the pain of letting Scott suffer alone.

“I  _ want _ to worry.” he pushes himself to say. It’s strange how honesty still tastes so unfamiliar in his mouth. How he still has to fight the gut-wrenching urge to conceal the truth about his emotional desires.

But Scott needs to hear them. He needs to know Theo wants this.

“It’s good for me that I want to.” he presses. “Please...let me...?”

Scott turns to look at him, the anguish on his face giving way to concern. Theo knew an appeal to Scott’s nurturing side would get his foothold, but he knows he has to tread the line carefully now or else Scott would make this about  _ Theo’s _ needs.

“Theo, I’m sorry. It’s not that there’s anything wrong with you — you know I trust you. I just...” he starts, reaching out and stroking an affectionate line down Theo’s neck.

He doesn’t need to finish the sentence. Theo knows where this is going: He doesn’t want to make people worry. It’s his job to protect everyone, etc. etc.

“Worrying about you isn’t a burden to me.” he whispers, slipping his hand into Scott’s, pushing his fingers stubbornly between his. “And it’s not a burden to your pack, either.”

“I’m responsible for them...for you.”

“For me?” Theo almost scoffs. “Scott you are  _ not _ responsible for me and you know it. I would be laying in a ditch, some hunters lab rat, some alpha’s bitch, or worse...off...hurting people...”

“Theo...”

“It’s true.” Theo insists. “You  _ know _ it’s true.”

“I think you would have found your way.”

“Yeah, Maybe. Or maybe not. We’ll never know because I already found it. I’m good where I am. With you.  _ Because _ of you.”

Scott’s quiet, so Theo goes on.

“I know you feel responsible for all of them. But you are  _ not _ responsible for me. You didn’t have to give me a second chance, but you did. You’re not obligated to protect me, but you do because I need it—”

“Because I  _ want _ to.” Scott corrects seriously, but then adds with a faint smirk. “But yeah, I guess also because you _ do _ need it. You sort of had this sign around your neck saying ‘up for adoption’ and it’s hard to say no to that...”

“Well...other people might look at that same sign and think is says ‘kick me’...”

“No one is kicking you on my watch.”

Theo’s hand tightens on Scott’s, he looks him directly in the eyes without blinking.

“And no one is kicking  _ you _ on  _ mine _ .”

Scott returns his gaze, and slowly, Theo watches his eyes melt. He leans his head forward till his forehead is resting on Theo’s neck, his nose touching his collarbone.

Theo pulls him closer. They crawl back beneath the covers, arms linked and limbs intertwined, Theo’s hands not leaving Scott’s back.\

“Tell me what you were dreaming about...” Theo whispers quietly. “Like you make me tell you...”

Scott takes a deep breath, and does.

He shares details of the flurry of dreams he has, bodies of people he’s failed, loved ones lost. How he’s afraid every day that one wrong step and his family, pack, friends, lover, will all turn to ash.

Theo can feel the breath moving in and out of Scott’s body, the tremors for his muscles as he forces the words to come out. His face is pressed into Theo’s neck as he speaks, so his hot tears slide down Theo’s skin, messy but not unwanted.

Theo listens as he holds Scott close to him. He doesn’t interrupt the long confession, but he strokes the hair on he back of Scott’s head, squeezes him tighter.

When Scott finally seems like he’s said everything he’s kept locked inside him, Theo leans his mouth close to his ear.

“I’m not going to turn to ash.” he whispers. “It’s going to take more than some asshole hunters to kill me. But even if I _ did _ , it wouldn’t change the fact that knowing you is still the best thing that’s  _ ever _ happened to me. Even if every single one of us got killed it wouldn’t change the impact you’ve had on us. Every person that you’ve made to feel safe and wanted...no one can take that from them, or from you.”

Scott heaved a heavy sigh.

“But if I make them feel safe and then they die anyway, I’ve failed them.”

“We all fucking die eventually, Scott.” Theo said firmly. “It’s what we do in the meantime that matters. I learned that from watching you. What you’ve done for everyone, for  _ me _ , that  _ matters _ .  _ You  _ matter.”

“Theo—”

“I would rather die next to you tomorrow than live a hundred thousand years the way I was before.” 

“Theo...” Scott whispered, and he could feel more tears slipping down his neck. “Thank you.”

“You do not have to be okay all of the time.” Theo affirmed. “ _ I’ve _ got  _ you. _ ”

**Author's Note:**

> Thanks for reading! 
> 
> Like I said, this is a little old so I'm not really sure it's up to snuff, but constructive comments and feedback is always helpful. :-)


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